Ocean Services, Technology, Observations, Resources Modeling and Science (O-STORMS)

Ministry of Earth Sciences’ O-STORMS programmes is an umbrella of schemes related to Ocean Observational Networks, Ocean Information Services, Ocean Surveys, Ocean Research Vessels,  Development of Ocean technology etc. These are:

• Sustaining and Strengthening a suite of Ocean Observational Networks for acquisition of time-series data from the seas around India. This is useful for regular monitoring, validating satellite data and important input for Ocean Atmospheric Models. They help in improved understanding of ocean dynamic, climate variability, ocean state forecast, sea level variations, ocean flux studies, etc.
• Provide a suite of Ocean Information Services, assessment of Marine Living Resources, periodical monitoring of health of the coastal water of India, Management of Coastal Marine Area, Operational Tsunami Warning System on 24X7 basis for issue of bulletins for India and to the countries of the Indian Ocean Region,
• Conducting Ocean surveys for harnessing the marine non-living resources in a sustainable way, available in EEZ and deep sea region of the Indian Ocean. These include gas hydrates, poly metallic nodules, hydrothermal sulfide minerals, cobalt crusts which contain valuable noble metals available along the mid oceanic regions of the Indian Ocean.
• Acquisition and operation and maintenance of Ocean Research Vessels for undertaking all activities
• Development of Ocean technology for Ocean Energy, Deep Sea Mining, Coastal Environmental Engineering and Marine Instrumentation, sea front facility, offshore numerical tank, development of unmanned submersible.

The Remotely Operable Subsea In-situ Soil Tester (ROSIS) and Submersible had been developed under the same programme.